Lifelines
by mercywestforever
Summary: They should have known that a disaster doesn't hit Seattle without taking down one of their own. This time is no difference. / Three-parter
1. Fear (of the Unknown)

Basically that's what I'd like to see in the season finale but since it's rather unlikely to happen I decided to write it down. This will be a three-parter and this chapter covers like the last third of the season finale while the next two will focus on what would be the season premiere. This is only the set-up so it's rather short. The next two will be much longer.

I relly hope you like it! The things written in italics are the voice-over. I apologise for all mistakes.

Arizona was tagged as a charcter but doesn't make an appearence in this one yet but she will play a bigger part in the next ones.

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned. All the rights to them and Grey's Anatomy belong to shondaland and ABC. **

* * *

_Goodbye. One word, seven letters, two syllables. Bye is short for it. It's one of the first words kids learn simply because it's an everyday word, because we say it on regular basis. There are different kinds of goodbye though. There are ones we are prepared for and ones that come suddenly. There are the ones we throw into the room when we hurry out of the door, the ones when we expect a longer departure and then there are the ones where we have to say goodbye forever._

He walks into the ER after his latest surgery. His abilities as a plastic surgeon are especially needed today with all the burns. There's probably the next patient already waiting for him but he needs to see her before he looks for them. He knows that she must be down here, her name hasn't been on the OR board. She's most likely managing everything down here, organizing the whole hospital and keeping an eye on everything. And she's probably taking care of the emergency cases, saving them before they have the chance to die on the OR table.

He does in fact spot her standing in the middle of the ER checking and updating the charts with her tablet. He approaches her slowly careful not to scare her in the hectic environment.

"Hey," he says calmly and she turns around to face him wearing a small albeit concentrated smile.

"Hey," she replies softly a warm expression crossing her features that is reserved for him, only him.

"How's it going? Isn't too stressful down here?", he asks carefully well-knowing that she could totally interpret the question the wrong way. But instead of throwing a tantrum or anything she simply shakes her head. "I'm fine... We're fine," she rests her free hand in her stomach where the slowly growing bump is barely visible under her scrubs. In fact he probably only spots it because he knows that it's there.

Although things between them had been rather rough at the beginning of her pregnancy he hasn't been anything but supportive and protective. And slowly they are working through their problems and she's actually pretty sure that they're almost back on track.

"Good, great. Things seem under control down here," he comments as he looks around them. Everyone walking around appears to know exactly where they're going or what they're doing.

"Yep, everything's working fine," she agrees and he smiles because he's sure that that's due to her organizing talent but of course she wouldn't gloat with that.

Jackson's about to tell her that he'll look where he can help next when a nurse caring one of their hospital jackets approaches them, "Here Dr. Kepner. The ambulance is waiting for you outside."

With that she leaves them standing there while he looks at his wife with a questioning expression, "Where are you going?"

"There was another explosion and they need a surgeon to take care of the victims at the scene," she explains as she hands him the tablet and slips the jacket on.

"And why do you have to go?", he asks not at all comprehending why his pregnant wife has to be that surgeon.

"They need someone who has experience with trauma and an attending who takes charge, I'm taking a few residents with me though," she tells him as though it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You don't have to worry, Jackson. There will be plenty of policemen and firefighters and whatsoever to make sure that we are safe."

"Why can't Hunt go?", he's not letting go of it. April begins to walk towards the entrance and he follows her like a lost puppy. "Cristina's leaving in a few hours. It's the least I can do for him after everything he has done for me in the past years. Look," she stops abruptly and turns around to him just as they have made their way through the doors, "I will make sure that I'm safe and if there's a dangerous situation I'll send Edwards," she tells him jokingly trying to lift the mood. The resident has shown immense talent in trauma lately and was therefore chosen to go on the field trip with her.

"Still... I would rather know that you're safe here in the hospital," he tells her to which she answers with a laugh. "Safe? You do remember all the stuff that happened in this hospital?"

He sighs because she's got a point there. Their working place isn't exactly the safest place in Seattle. Jackson pulls her closer then wrapping his arms around her waist beneath the jacket, "Promise me that you'll come back safe."

"Jackson Avery, since when are you so sappy?", she questions teasingly as she trows his arms around his shoulders and rests her forehead against his.

"I'm serious," he doesn't think that this is funny at all.

"Okay, I promise," April breathes calmly realizing how important this is for him.

"Dr. Kepner? Are you coming?", Stephanie suddenly peaking out of the ambulance causing them to break apart. "Yes, I'm here," April announces loudly before she pecks him quickly on the lips and hurries into the ambulance.

* * *

The sounds of sirens and anguished cries are filling her ears before they even open the doors of the ambulance. She quickly looks over at Stephanie who's seated beside her and is met by an expression that could only be described as pure horror. April chooses not to ask whether she's okay afraid of the answer.

Someone rips the back door open and a wave of smoke and a smell that she can't identify invade their senses.

"You're Dr. Kepner from Grey Sloan?", a firefighter who's in the beginning of his forties and covered in dirt asks her urgently as she slowly climbs out of the vehicle with the resident in tow.

"Yes, that's me," she replies looking around her and observing the situation. There are people rushing from one place to another everywhere, policemen trying to bring control and there are people sitting everywhere most of them clearly in shock. She knows that look all too well.

"We've been waiting for you," he tells them as he begins walking towards one of the firetrucks. "I'm Captain Ramsey," he quickly introduces himself and April shots him a small smile in response before turns around to Stephanie who's clearly overwhelmed by whole situation.

She can't really blame her after all she feels exactly the same. She's not sure what she expected but it was definitely not this. The smoke is coming from everywhere, there is so much noise and everything's a chaos. Victims are being carried to ambulances and the ones that don't have severe wounds are being led out of the way. A few hundred meters over the firefighters are trying to stop the small fires that have been caused by the explosion. A nauseous feeling settles in her gut and one of her hands instinctively moves to her small bump in a protective manner.

They come to a halt by the firetruck where a few more firefighters are gathered clearly deep in discussion. Captain Ramsey clears his throat to gain their attention and they all look up from the plan they had been bending over.

"Guys, this is Dr. Kepner. She's the trauma surgeon they sent," she's met by a few curt nods in greeting before the Captain speaks again, "She will be going in there with you to take care of the patient."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'going in there'?", she interrupts confused because she certainly didn't plan on walking into a house that looks like it might collapse any second.

"We have found a young girl that's stuck in there. She needs medical care right now and we might even need to amputate her arm which is why you're here. Don't worry, my men won't leave you out of eyesight and will stay with you the entire time."

April takes a deep breath as she looks at the building again. There is smoke coming from the top but apart from that it looks stable. Of course she knows that doesn't have to say anything but as she looks into the experienced faces of the firefighters she can't help but trust them. "Okay. Edwards go get the equipment from the ambulance."

The resident shots her an uncertain look but April nods to reassure and she sets off for the ambulance.

For a moment she has to think about Jackson and the promise she made. Her hand stills rests subconsciously on her stomach and she takes another deep breath to calm her nerves. She has a patient, a little girl, to take care of at the moment and that needs to be her priority. She can't think about anyone or anything else right now. She needs to be focused just like a soldier that she was trained to be by her mentor.

She can do this and she plans on keeping her promise.

* * *

His last procedure was rather quick and rather nasty which is why he's on his way to the attendings' lounge to take a shower and get a new set of scrubs before he continues working. He checks his phone to see whether he's got a new message from April but his screen is blank apart from his screen safer that shows a picture of him and his wife from their small honeymoon at Lake Tahoe.

As he opens the door he comes face to face with Cristina who's in her normal clothes and and has a bag slung over her shoulder.

"Hey, you're already leaving?", he asks surprised as he steps into the room and then waits for her response anxiously. They all knew that she was planning to leave to today but to see her ready to go... well turns out that he hasn't been prepared after all.

"Yeah, I'm all done. I figured that I take the chance and go before anyone can make a big fuss and right now everybody's pretty occupied so..." she trails off as she looks down for a moment before facing him again with a brave smile.

"I get it," he tells her and for a moment they just stand there until he remembers something. "Wait a moment though..." he begins as he walks over to the cabinet and retrieves an affectionately wrapped box full of cookies. "April made these for you as provisions," he hands her the box with a fond smile which she reciprocates.

"Of course she did," she responds and although she would never admit it Jackson knows that she appreciates the gesture. "Where's the not so Virgin Mary anyway? I know I never showed it but I actually like her."

He shakes his head good- naturally at the comment before he replies, "Trust me, she would have loved to give it to you herself but she's on a field mission for Owen."

She looks up at that somewhat surprised. "Owen's still here?"

"As far as I know," he tells her and watches how she puts the Cookies away rather hastily after that. "Look, I'm not a hugger and I know that you're not a hugger so," she holds out a hand at that offering it to him.

He takes it shaking it in his as she tells him, "You're not half as bad as the rest of your family."

He can't help but at laugh at the jab knowing how to understand it. "It was nice getting to know that the brilliant Cristina Yang also has a human side."

They both aren't persons for big speeches and displays of affection but he knows that there's mutual respect and appreciation between them.

She slips her hand out of his walking towards the door and opens until she stops and turns around to him again. "You'll take care of her alright. She's one of the good ones."

Jackson looks at her, really looks at her for one last time. Cristina Yang brilliant surgeon and cardiac goddess. Cristina Yang who operated with him on her best friend's husband at gunpoint. Cristina Yang who cares a lot more about them than she lets on. Cristina Yang who's his friend.

And with a smile he promises, "I will."

* * *

"I can't believe that she's really gone now," Owen states disbelievingly to Meredith as they walk into the ER after they just sent Cristina off. He's not sad, not really. They got their goodbye after she unexpectedly showed up in his office mere hours ago. He knows that she'll be fine and that she'll do great things and more importantly he just knows that she's going to be happy.

So no, he's not sad. He's just not really happy about it either.

"I think it's for real this time," Meredith says as she leans against the nurse station beside him and he nods. "Me too."

They stay in silence for a few moments letting it all sink in. He's sure that Meredith understands just as much as he does that it's the best for Cristina and that she wouldn't have been happy if she stayed at Grey Sloan in the long run. But just because they understand it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt a little bit though.

"Dr. Hunt, there's a massive trauma coming in," one of the nurses approaches him suddenly. He looks around a bit disorientated; he knows that the attack hit Seattle hard but he thought that they found and brought in all of the victims already. He quickly scans the ER looking for other surgeons because he doesn't really feels in the right state of mind for a trauma right now. "Can't Kepner take it?"

"Dr. Kepner is still on the field mission."

"Still?," he asks as he pushes himself up and begins to follow her towards the ambulance bay. Meredith offers him a small wave in parting while quickly nods at her. "Yes, apparently it's more difficult than expected."

Owen takes the trauma gown someone offers him slipping it on and tying it behind his back. He steps outside and waits for the ambulance that will bring the patient. He actually appreciates the few quiet moments of waiting as the time allows him to snap back into trauma mode. The ambulance pulls up then, the sirens echoing in the trauma bay.

As he takes a few steps towards it and for a moment he's confused when he reads 'City of Portland' written on the doors until he realizes that they must have been sent to help out today. Given that he isn't surprised when he doesn't recognize the paramedic that gets out of the vehicle and moves to open the back doors as he starts talking at the same time.

"Female in her early thirties. Has been stuck in a collapsed building. Unconscious, we don't know for how long now but she's got a bleeding wound on her forehead as well as several broken ribs. We expect there to be inner bleeding. Her right shoulder is dislocated too."

The frown on his face increases as Owen listens to the long list of injuries. "Page Shepherd and Torres and get an OR ready!" he orders one of the nurses that followed him outside who hurries inside when he finishes.

When they finally open the doors he sees a disturbed Edwards before he sees her and he already knows then that it's bad, really and utterly devastatingly bad.

"I don't know what happened! One second we were making our way outside and then suddenly the ceiling falls down on us and she's gone. I mean she was right behind me the entire time until she wasn't!", Stephanie exclaims hysterically as she climbs out of the ambulance after the stretcher. He's never seen the young woman so disheveled. Her eyes are frantic, her jacket hanging from her shoulders and her mouth agape as she doesn't seem to comprehend what's happening.

The paramedics begin to push the stretcher towards the entrance of the hospital forcing him to finally look down on it.

He feels like a bucket full of ice water has been dumped on him, like a thousand needles piercing his lungs at the sight of her. She's covered in bandages, scratches and bruises and that's only the part that's visible. She's still dressed in the navy blue scrubs which are clinging bloodstained to her body now.

For a second he closes his eyes trying to get rid of the image and fighting the urge to quit. Because he has to snap out of this trance and start to act. He has to jump in action and treat her. He has to save her.

He has to do that for her, for his soldier.

_In French they say 'Au Revoir' and in German it's 'Auf Wiedersehen'. Both of those mean 'To seeing you again'. I like that, that you depart with thought of seeing each other again. But here's a fact; you can never know when and if you'll see the person you just said goodbye to again. There's a reason why they say that anything can happen. Expect the unexpected. Nobody knows what tomorrow brings. Even when you say goodbye with the intention to see each other again in mere minutes you can never be one hundred percent sure when or how you'll meet them again. And that, the uncertainty, the unknown, that's what scares me. _

* * *

**_And that would be where the episode would end and we would start writing fics how things could go all summer long. Luckily you won't have to wait that long :) If you'd like I wouldn't mind a review :)_**


	2. Killing Me Softly

And the hiatus is over and I'm back with what would be the season premiere. Like the last year the aftermath would be covered in two episodes.

In typical Grey's manner the chapter is named after a song. Everything written in italics is a flashback expect for the first and last part which is the voiceover. That would be done by April this time because it's time that she gets one and because this pretty much revolves arounf her.

I hope this chapter isn't a let down and I want to thank you for the feedback I've been getting for the last part. It truly means a lot to me.

To the guest that asked how they've overcome their fight; this picks up at 10x24 and I hope that they're done fighting by then.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned. All the rights to them and Grey's Anatomy belong to shondaland and ABC. ** **'Killing Me Softly' is the Name of the album by Roberta Flack and all rightd belong to her.**

* * *

_Growing up back home at the farm in Moline my father would take the really sick animals to a 'better place'. It took me years to figure out what that really meant, what really happened to them when the vet couldn't do anything anymore. With humans it's a lot different of course. Before we reach that place where we can't do anything we go beyond our limits to safe a person's life. We define the border between life and death, bring people back from the seemingly inevitable death and outsmart fate before we let someone go. _

His body feels heavy, his limps being pulled down by gravity hanging down on by his sides like lead. He actually hears how his blood pumps through his veins. His heart beats erratically as his mind runs a mile a minute. His feet carry him towards the OR on their own accord, his head still buzzing like it has been since he got the page.

He comes to an abrupt stop when he hears their voices from down the hall. He tries to make out what they're saying but it's a jumbled mess of hectic voices and his head's still buzzing.

Quickly enough they appear in his line of view and he's surprised that he doesn't faint at the sight. Owen's pulling the stretcher behind him while Callie pushes it. Wilson is right by her side and they're surrounded by various nurses and interns.

They don't see him where he's standing in the secondary corridor but as soon as he sees his wife nothing can hold him back. She never looked so fragile and he's seen her at her worst.

He bursts towards her, his breath caught somewhere between his lungs and his mouth, stuck in his throat. He leans over her gently brushing a few curls out of her face causing the others to notice him and stop. "What happened?" he asks and he's surprised to hear how hoarse his voice is.

While he waits for their answer his eyes never leave her. He's still not really realizing what's happening. One minute he's scrubbing out of his last surgery for the day and then he gets a page that his wife is being taken to the OR down the hall from where he's.

"The building she was in collapsed. She has several injuries we need to take care of now," Owen urges and they begin to push her towards the OR again. Jackson snaps up watching how they roll her further down the hall suddenly frozen in his place and unable to move and follow them

"We'll do anything for her and we'll update you whenever there is any news," Owen almost shouts to be heard over the busy noises. The other man can only nod somehow he's able to listen to the rational part of him that tells him that he needs to let them do their work even though his instincts scream at him to never leave her side again.

They have almost reached their destination when a thought suddenly crosses his mind, "Hey, can you get Robbins or Karev in there please?"

Owen stops and frowns at him in confusion. "Why should they be in here?"

Jackson finds himself unable to explain it because this is not how they were supposed to tell them. April was supposed to be right by his side smiling so brightly that it would hurt as they shared the news with their second family. So instead of offering an explanation he simply repeats, "They need to be in there."

She's not sure why she's the first one to figure it out, maybe because ever since she and Arizona decided to have another child, babies have been occupying her mind constantly.

"She's pregnant," Callie says a little bit breathless. It's not a question but a statement and Jackson's expression is all conformation they need.

Owen jumps into action immediately barking out orders to the nurses. "Get Robbins and Karev down here and page a gynecologist! And we need to do an ultrasound right now!" He disappears into the scrubbing room then and Jo and the nurses push April into the OR to get her prepped.

Only Callie stands back simply looking at him for a quiet moment. "We will take care of them, both of them," she tells him softly before she follows the others.

He's left alone standing in the deserted hallway still breathless and confused. He can't wrap his mind around the idea that it's his wife who's being treated behind the heavy doors at the moment. She can't be the patient in there… right? She's supposed to come back and then they would go home together and spend a quiet evening after the crazy, hectic day. She should be with him right now because she's his wife and that's where she belongs.

But here he was, his pulse showing no sign slowing down, his head aching from all the thoughts and his heart almost jumping out of his chest.

What had happened?

* * *

"_Today we are gathered here to join this man and this woman in the bond of matrimony." A huge smile graces her features at the words of the official and he squeezes both of her hands to show her that he's just as excited as she is._

_They're both sleep deprived because she refused to go to the hotel first once they arrived in Lake Tahoe and he wasn't really able to deny her anything. So now they're standing here, he in his crinkled suit and she in her dress that's a bit ruffled. Her hair is out of her up do by now, instead her curls are hanging down framing her face._

_He thought that she looked breathtaking when she entered the barn but now with her long curls lying over her shoulders and her make-up almost vanished, she is truly beautiful._

"_Now, I was asked to get to the point right away," the man continues causing April to bush slightly and giggle and Jackson can't help but join her. "So I will get to the vows now. I you may repeat after me."_

_It takes a little while until April realizes that he meant her and Jackson's grin increases to a point where he fears that it'll get stuck that way. But he thinks he really doesn't mind if that means that the woman who's causing it will stick around as well. _

"_I, April Kepner, hereby take you, Jackson Avery, as my legally wedded husband…"_

"_I, April Kepner," she begins and he notices how her eyes begin to water with what he hopes are happy tears, "hereby take you, Jackson Avery, my best friend and love of my life," she adds this with a watery smile and he's sure that he's never been happier than right now as she says those words, "as my legally wedded husband…"_

"…_and I promise to love you and stay by your side…"_

"…_and I promise to love you and stay by your side…"_

"…_in sickness and in health…"_

_She has to gulp before she continues and he squeezes her hands once again to show her how much this means to him. "…in sickness and in health…"_

"…_in wealth and poverty…"_

"…_in wealth and poverty…" His heart beats faster with every word that leaves her lips and he's sure that he's getting a little teary-eyed himself._

"…_for better and for worse…"_

"…_for better and for worse…" He knows that she's aware that it won't be easy for them, it never has been but he's willing to pull through all that as long as she's by his side and that she's promising to do the same right now fills him with an exorbitant amount of joy._

"…'_till death do us part."_

"_... 'till death do us part." She takes a deep breath after she finishes before she picks up the ring that they bought in a little store on their way. She slips it onto his finger with shaking hands looking at it for a moment before she meets his gaze again._

"_Great," the minister suddenly speaks breaking them out of their haze. "Now, you please repeat after me."_

_Before the man can begin though Jackson interrupts him as he picks up her ring and stops for a moment locking eyes with April. "What I said in the barn and on the road… I've never meant something as much as that. I love you April and I'm sure that I always will."_

_He slips the ring onto her delicate finger with ease bending down to kiss her hand where it rests now and forever afterwards. "That's good because you're stuck with me now," she tells him jokingly and he laughs because he has no problem with that at all._

"_After we're done with the vows now…" the guy shots Jackson an amused glare and it's obvious that he really doesn't mind. "With the power invested in me by the state of Nevada I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."_

_He doesn't need to get told that twice._

* * *

Callie sighs as she looks through the window and watches how everyone gets prepped inside the OR. Involuntarily she has to think back to the time where she had been the patient on the table and she realizes that she never fully understood how her colleagues must have felt like until now.

She rather would have lived without ever getting to know that feeling.

Finally she walks into the OP snapping into doctor mode immediately. "The shoulder should be a pretty easy fix," she announces as she slips into the gown and the gloves.

"I'm not worried about the shoulder," Owen replies from where he's standing beside the table and watching every move of the gynecologist who's doing the ultrasound. "Everything seems fine for now but you have to be cautious," the woman finally tells them and the nurses instantaneously move everything for the surgery.

While Hunt, Wilson and Torres get ready to operate the door opens revealing Shepherd who's wearing his ferryboat scrub cap.

He looks at them for a moment silently asking for conformation of the bad news that have been making their way through the whole hospital. When he first got the page he didn't expect it to be the perky redhead that he had to do a consult for. "So, it's true?"

Hunt simply nods and even though he's wearing a mask Derek can make out the sad expression that crosses his features behind it. But he also knows that they need to stay professional in order to save April's life. "The scans are over there," Owen tells him quietly and Derek turns to them examining them quickly wishing so much that they looked different.

"There's a bleeder in the frontal lobe that I have to clip right away. I'm going to scrub in," he announces quietly and the nurses begin to prep April for that surgery as well.

Owen simply looks at them and their actions for a quick moment and he finds it even harder to concentrate. He's still unable to comprehend that April's life is in danger, that his student is their patient. He can't help but feeling as though he's failed her once again.

But he also knows that if roles were reversed she would push those thoughts away and go beyond her abilities to save him.

So he takes the scalpel and makes the first cut.

* * *

Jackson is sitting on the floor of the hallway leaning against the wall behind him when she stumbles upon him. In all this time she's known him now, in all the months they dated and she got to know him better and more personally Stephanie has never seen him like this. She's not sure if she should ask him but the desire to know what happened to Kepner gets the better of her.

After they arrived at the hospital she had been pulled away by a nurse who cleaned her up and tended the small scratches she had. By the time Stephanie was able to get away from her grasp the trauma room where they had rolled the stretcher into had been empty so she had come up here desperately hoping that they had moved her to surgery. The other option was… she'd rather not think about the other option.

She softly clears her throat hoping to gain his attention that way but he continues to stare straight ahead of him unaware of her presence. "Is she in there getting surgery?" she asks and his head snaps up obviously surprised to see her.

"Yeah," his voice is raspy and it sounds broken causing her stomach to churn. Jackson slowly gets up looking around taking in his surroundings and blinking away the tears that gathered in his eyes. "Hunt said that the building collapsed…", he trails off and she knows what he wants to know right away.

"We-" she chokes as she remembers what exactly happened to them, "There was a little girl stuck in this building near the last explosion. It seemed to be stable so we went in there to take care of her. And it really was stable until… until we made our way outside…" the tears are spilling over her cheeks by the time she finishes talking and she's unable to look him into the eyes, the guilt overwhelming her.

"Why aren't you hurt?" it comes out rather harsh and definitely meaner than he intends to but the question is bothering him and he couldn't care less about the way his voice sounds at the moment.

She knows that he's worried about his wife but that doesn't make it sting any less. "I was at the front while she was at the back."

"How convenient for you," he snickers and she has to tell herself multiple times that he doesn't mean what he's saying right now, that he's worried about his wife's health and that he needs someone to blame for the whole situation and she just happens to be one who seems like his best option right now.

Trust her, she knows this. She does the same.

But that doesn't mean that she will just stand by as he accuses her. "Look, it may surprise you but I actually like your wife," it comes out way louder and he's clearly surprised but she trudges on anyway. "Recently she's been a great mentor to me. She trusts me and my medical knowledge and instincts, something no other attending has done so far, not even you! It's not her fault that her husband happens to be the guy that dumped me in front of my coworkers and friends!"

She can see how a guilty expression crosses his features and she can't help but feeling bad for it because everything she just said was the truth she knows that it wasn't an appropriate time.

"I'm so sorry about what happened and if I could change something I would," she adds her voice way quieter now while she shoots him a sympathetic look. He only nods and she realizes that he feels the same, that he blames himself because he let her go.

She suddenly feels really uncomfortable because she not sure how to react to that. So she decides to leave him to himself once again. "I'm going to check on the Captain."

"What Captain?" he asks confused finally looking up.

"Captain Ramsey. He was with us in the building and he was at the back with Kepner. Grey is operating on him right now."

* * *

_They're just mere meters away from the building when she stops dead in her tracks overwhelmed by the scene in front of her. There's still smoke coming out of the top and firefighters are running around everywhere trying to keep the situation under control._

"_Dr. Kepner? Is everything alright?" her eyes snap to Captain Ramsey as he approaches her. The rest of the unit as well as Edwards is already ahead of them but she can't seem to move. She nods but he doesn't look convinced at all. The hand that isn't holding the strap of the bag she has slung over her shoulder is still securely resting on her stomach and the Captain picks up on that without her noticing._

"_How far along are you?" he asks a friendly smile gracing his lips._

"_What? I don't know what you mean," she sputters trying to act nonchalant because she's afraid that he'll keep her from treating the little girl if he knows._

_But he surprises her by opening his jacket a bit and pulling out a slightly wrinkled photo. He smiles a little bit to himself before he shows it to her. "Those are Casey, she's 18 and Jackson, he's 20. I love them more than anything."_

_She looks at his two kids on the photo and then back at him. "Wow, I thought that you were way younger like maybe at the beginning of your forties," she rambles because she really never expected that the man has kids who are almost adults._

"_I am," he says while chuckling. "I was still in college when my girlfriend got pregnant. It was the worst timing possible but we got married and we raised our kids and I couldn't be happier with how things turned out." _

_April knows what he means after all her own pregnancy came at the worst time possible for them but to know that Captain Ramsey made it reassures her more than anything. "13 weeks," she tells him and he looks at her somewhat surprised. "I'm 13 weeks pregnant and my husband is waiting for us to return safe to the hospital."_

_He nods as he shoots her a small smile. "Then I'll make sure that you will."_

"_Is everything alright Captain?" someone from his unit suddenly asks him from where they've stopped ahead of them. Ramsey looks at her for confirmation and she nods to let him know that she's okay._

"_Yes, we're coming."_

* * *

"You have to hurry up the baby's signals are getting weaker," Arizona barks urgently from where she and Karev are monitoring the baby. At first she had though that she got paged because it was her best friend who is being operated but when they found out that she was pregnant and they were here for the baby she had almost fainted.

"I'm almost done," Derek replies in a calm tone although everything around is hectic. She knows that he needs to concentrate and not let those things affect him because he was operating on his friend's brain for several hours.

They had been in here for over three hours by now. Callie was already done with the shoulder and had left to give them more room while Wilson had stayed to assist Hunt and Bailey who had joined them right after they had started operating.

"We're still trying to find the source for all this blood!" Jo exclaims with a desperate undertone to her voice.

"Stay clam and focused," Alex orders her from where he's seated beside his mentor and it calms her down immediately. Arizona looks over at him proud that he's able to keep a clear head during this time but from the way his shoulders are tense and his jaw is clenched she sees how much it really affects it. She's aware that April and Alex's relationship has always been rather complicated but she also knows that they've become true friends over time and that he's genuinely worried for her.

Owen is glad that Karev's voice seems to calm the resident down because they all need steady hands right now. They've been able to detect a few bleeders and close them and with Torres' help they fixed the broken ribs but there's still too much blood.

Their hands are moving furiously and to every bystander it might look as though they have no idea what they're doing but their movements are coordinated and with a purpose.

"Oh, I think I've found it!" Bailey suddenly yelps and the nurse hands her the equipment to clip the bleeder. With years of practice and experience Bailey is able to clip the bleeding without much effort and the blood begins in fact to subside.

But only for a moment. Suddenly there's much more blood coming from somewhere they don't know. Out of the corner of his eye Owen sees how the anesthetist gets another blood bottle ready and he has lost count of how many it have been now.

"How are the vitals?" he yells over the hectic noises in the OR. Karev answers him first checking his monitor briefly. "Still getting weaker but stable."

Owen lets out a barely audible sigh of relief and keeps his eyes concentrated on the sight in front of him as he waits for the update on April's vitals.

He gets his answer before the anesthetist gets a chance to say anything. The machine begins to beep furiously and before they have to chance to act on that the beeping stops and turns into one long one.

His eyes snap up and the flat line that he's faced with is one of the most horrific sights he's ever seen. It's pure instincts when he moves up pushing everything out of his way to start the cardiac massage. His eyes are varying from being locked to the flat line and looking down her. He barely registers how the others around him charge the defibrillator as he desperately tries to bring her back with each pump.

"Come on soldier," he grits out. Before some nurse pulls him away and Jo moves to attempt to bring her back with the defibrillator. He watches the whole scene and he's there and he's not at the same time.

He stands there in the OR and registers how the others furiously try to erase the flat line and replace it with a steady heart rhythm, how Bailey desperately tries to find the bleeders, how Arizona and Alex are holding their breath in the corner of the room.

And yet at the same time he feels like he's a thousand miles away in a different world; one where he didn't fail his student, one where he's been able to safe her, one where his soldier is in the warm embrace of her husband instead of dying on the cold OR table.

And the deafening sound of the heart machine fills his ears lulling him into a trance.

* * *

_He's leaning against the nurse station, his chin perched on the heel of his hand as he lazily scribbles updates in his patient's charts waiting for the meeting to begin. _

"_Dr. Hunt!" someone suddenly exclaims perkily and he knows that they're only two people in this hospital whose voices can get so high in excitement and one of them is currently taking a permanent leave due to the loss of her leg. _

_His supposition is confirmed when he turns around and comes face to face with the redhead. "Kepner," he's slightly amused by the sight of the almost bouncing surgeon. Her hair is slightly ruffled and she licks her lips subconsciously, it seems as though she's lost in thought._

"_Is everything alright?" he asks and she snaps out of her trance instantaneously straightening herself up and nodding vigorously. "Yes! I scrubbed in on my first surgery today!"_

_He chuckles glad to see her so happy and on the high of a surgery, something only really committed surgeons feel. It reassures him that it was the right decision to bring her back. "How did it go?"_

"_Great!" she's so excited that it warms his heart. "I wanted to thank you! I didn't realize how much I've missed this. And I promise you that I won't disappoint you again," she tells him. He knows that she would never blame him for her failing but he does. He's been too occupied with his personal problems and has been a bad mentor for her. _

_Before he has the chance to say any of that though her pager beeps and she looks down on it. "I've gotta go now. Thank you again!" _

_She hurries down the hall and as he watches her go he makes the silent promise to don't disappoint her again either._

* * *

His legs are bouncing up and down nervously as he sits in the waiting area of the hospital. He had thought that being surrounded by people would make him feel better but it did the exact opposite. He had spent the last few hours watching how people got bad and good news about their loved ones. He isn't sure which one was worse to watch.

He would have left and looked for a place to be alone if it hadn't been for Callie and Meredith who had joined him after they finished operating on April and the Captain, respectively.

Now the two are sitting a few seats away from him and he knows that they're keeping a close eye on him. He appreciates their concern but he'd rather be left alone.

It's been about four hours by now and he hasn't gotten any news since Callie announced that the shoulder was back in its rightful place.

"Maybe I should go and look," Meredith offers but before either of them can respond Hunt as well as the others come walking towards them.

He's out of his seat immediately and Callie and Mer follow him instantaneously. He opens his mouth to ask but no words come out and he finds himself unable to say or question anything afraid of what the answer might be.

As it turns he doesn't have to ask as Bailey begins to talk as soon as they've reached them. "There were more bleeders than expected but we had to close her for now because her vitals were critical. We might have to go in again but she's stable for now."

Jackson's still processing what she just said when Derek adds, "I've been able to clip the bleeder in her frontal lobe. We can't be sure until she wakes up but it looks like there's not permanent damage."

He nods trying to signalize that he understands what they're telling him although he's not really. Karev is the next one to give him an update. "The baby is fine for now. Vitals are stable." Arizona and Owen are simply standing behind the others both too engrossed in their own thoughts to say anything.

In his mind he tries to realize what they're just said. April is fine. So is their baby... for now.

But even though he knows that now he can't really believe it, not until he sees it with his own eyes. "Can I see her?" he is somehow surprised to hear himself, surprised how composed he sounds although it feels like there's a storm raging on inside of him.

Bailey sighs but nods anyway. "Yes but we've put her into a coma so her body can heal and regain its strength." He gets that because even though he doesn't feel like it right now he's still a doctor. He knows that's what you do when someone suffers such an immense trauma. He remembers that even though he's the worried husband instead of the surgeon at the moment.

"Alright, let me take you to her," Bailey says quietly as she motions him to follow her.

He does as he's told to but he's not sure how he's supposed to actually see her. She will look fragile and broken, too small for the hospital bed.

Normally, if he had to go through something like this, she would be by his side like she always was. He has no idea what to do without her. How was he supposed to go through this alone?

* * *

_He's sitting on the curb watching how families and lovers reunite after the horrific event. A small smile graces his lips lucky to see all those people happy. They deserve it, he thinks. In fact everyone deserves happiness, especially the ones that had to go through something like this._

"_Charles is dead." April's small voice breaks him out of his thoughts and he looks up to where she's looming over him staring to the ground in front of her. "What?" he asks his own voice raspy._

"_I just ran into Dr. Bailey and she said… she said that Charles died." Her eyes find his then and he almost wishes they didn't because the look of utter devastation makes him suddenly realize what she just said._

_But it can't be right?! His best friend can't be possible dead. He still remembers how he joked this morning that he would finally ask Reed out if they made it to the end of this year of residency. Bailey probably made a mistake and confused him. He knows that the Seattle Grace people still have trouble to get their names right. _

_Yes, she probably made a mistake and his friend is somewhere looking for them at the moment._

"_She said that she was with him when he died and that he was brave," April mumbles as she slowly sits down beside him. Tears are silently running down her cheeks as she shakes her head in denial. "Charles is dead and so is Reed. I've- I've found her earlier. There was so much blood."_

_Her voice is shaking with every word she says and without hesitation he pulls her into his arms. Her whole body is racked with sobs as she buries her head in the crook of his neck. Her words are still sinking in while he tries to calm her down. _

_Charles is dead. _

_Reed is dead._

_Their two best friends are dead. _

_Suddenly he's irrationally angry at all the happy people around them. They shouldn't be allowed to be happy, not when Charles and Reed don't get to be happy ever again. He tastes saltiness on his lips and he realizes that he's crying as well. There are no sobs that shake his whole body like April has them but the tears are slowly making their way down his face dropping onto the collar of his scrub top._

_He buries his face in the crook of April's neck like she does trying to hide from the world around them. He pulls her a bit closer and her grip around him tightens in return. Suddenly he realizes that she's the only one he's got left now. _

_April is all he has left. And she has only him. They are what remains from their group of friends. _

_He's not sure how they're supposed to deal with this, how they're supposed to move on, how they're supposed to make it through this._

_But there's one thing he knows right now. If they're actually going to try it they need each other. They're each other's support systems now. April is the only one he can lean onto and he'll do the same for her. He needs her to get through this; he's not going to make it without her._

_He holds her a little bit tighter._

* * *

Callie opens the door cautiously and lets out a sigh of relief when he finally finds her in the on-call room on the peds floor. "Hey. I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Maybe you should have checked out my floor sooner then," Arizona retorts and Callie physically flinches at her tone but she knows better than to feel offended or anything.

"You left pretty quickly earlier," she says instead as she closes the door behind her and makes her way over to where Arizona sits on one of the beds. Her blonde curls are still in the braids from the surgery because she hasn't bothered to pull them out yet.

"I had to get away from there," she replies with a monotone voice still not looking at her wife who sits down beside her leaning against the wall behind them as well.

"Too many bad memories, huh?" Callie asks and she watches her reaction carefully.

"Did it ever cross your mind that not everything is about you?" Arizona snaps turning to face her with a fierce glare. Her expression softens immediately though when she sees Callie's hurt look. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just…" she trails off staring ahead of her again and sighing. "April is my best friend."

Callie lays her arm around her carefully pulling her closer and pressing a chaste kiss against her temple. "She will be fine."

"What if she's not?" Arizona almost screams at her in return as the tears come out of nowhere and spill over. "When I said that I couldn't take one more loss…. What if she doesn't make it?" Her voice is suddenly small and fragile and she looks at her wife with so much fear in her eyes.

"Okay, listen to me," Callie tells her fiercely as she takes her face between her hands forcing her to look at her. "April is a fighter, she always has been. Something like this won't take her down."

Arizona nods desperately trying to believe what she's saying. She throws her arms around her then clinging to her as if her life depends on it. Callie strokes her hair whispering words of comfort into her ear as she waits for her to calm down.

Eventually the blonde pulls away wiping beneath her eyes to get rid of the remaining tears. She leans back against the cold wall closing her eyes for a while.

"I can't believe that I didn't know she's pregnant," she states as she opens them again looking at the wall across from them when Callie still studies her and her features.

"Nobody knew," the Latina says trying to comfort her. "I'm her best friend I should have known. She would have if roles were reversed," Arizona retorts immediately.

"That's not true."

"It is," Arizona replies wearing a small smile that' tinted with sadness as she faces her. "You know that she would have." She hiccups once looking back at the wall and Callie can make out that she feels guilty before she even admits it.

"I've neglected her lately. I've been too occupied with everything that has been going on in our lives. She's been going through one of the hardest times of her life with the fight and I haven't been there for her."

"You have. We let her stay with us, remember?" Callie tries to convince her that she hasn't done anything wrong but Arizona only shakes her head.

"No, I haven't. She's been there for me through it all. The cheater eyes and everything that has been after and I didn't return the favor. I haven't been a good best friend."

Suddenly she turns around to Callie a new kind of fear and panic crossing her face. "What if she doesn't make it and I can never make it up to her?"

* * *

_She opens the door to hear her little daughter squeal. She immediately smiles as she watches the sight in front of her. April is holding the little girl over her head making silly faces at Sofia who enjoys the whole situation._

"_Hey," Arizona announces her presence and April turns around to her taking the girl down and smiling at her in greeting. "Look Sofia, Mommy is here."_

_Sofia squeals again and Arizona makes her way over to them taking her girl from April's grasp and sitting down on the couch beside her. "Hey princess. Did you have fun with Auntie April?" Sofia giggles in response._

"_Thank you for taking care of her," she says as she turns around to face April better._

"_No problem. That's what friends do. Besides I had a really good time with her. She's so cute," her voice gets higher at the last part and she reaches out to tickle the toddler who's still giggling furiously._

"_And I knew that it was important for you to be there for Caliie and support her at court, so…" she trails off and Arizona sends her a grateful smile. "How did it go?" she asks then and Arizona sighs not really sure what to say._

_April gets it and she also picks up on Arizona's sad expression which is why she questions, "Hey how are you? It must be though for you as well."_

_Arizona simply nods before shrugging. "It's hard. It's bringing back some pretty though memories…" she looks down at Sofia who is idly playing with one of her toys now. "I mean it's been a hard time with Callie's case," she adds hastily once she realizes what she just said. But April knows her better than that now. She knows when something's up with her best friend._

"_Arizona, what happened back then?" she asks softly trying to show her that she's not pressuring her or anything. For a moment the peds surgeon only looks at her, a mouth hanging slightly open as she ponders whether she should tell her the truth. In the end she comes to the realization that April would find it out sooner or later anyway especially since she seems to read her so well already. Plus, she really trusts the redhead, more than most people she knows._

"_We decided to have another child back then. I got pregnant but I lost the baby," she looks down at her daughter who is oblivious of the whole situation and watches her with a sad smile for a few moments._

"_I'm so sorry," April almost whispers beside her and she's wearing a sympathetic expression. Surprisingly the look comforts Arizona instead of doing anything else. She can only shrug not knowing what else to do. If she told her that it's okay that would be a lie and she's sure that the redhead would see right through it._

_They sit in silence for some minutes the only sound being Sofia's blabbering. April is the first to break the silence. "Webber thinks I'm a terrible driver."_

"_What?" Arizona questions confused until she realizes what April is doing. She's trying to lighten her mood by distracting her. She appreciates the gesture because although she told her about the miscarriage she's not ready to talk about it yet and she's glad that her best friend is not pushing her._

"_Yes but I'm telling you everyone would be a bad driver if they had him on their passenger seat; 'The light's green!' , 'Are you sure that this is the right way?', 'We'll be late if continue to go so slow', 'You're too fast!'"_

_Arizona laughs as April continues to mock their former chief and she's really glad that she's got the redhead in her life._

* * *

"Pregnant?"

"Hm," Meredith hums into her phone as she looks through the glass into the room where April is in.

"Wow. That woman keeps being full of surprises. I had no idea."

"Nobody had," Meredith tells Cristina as she keeps watching the inside of the room. There is silence on the other side of the line for a few long moments.

"How's Jackson?" Cristina asks tentatively and Meredith shrugs in response although she knows that Cristina can't see her. "He's sleeping now. Exhaustion took over."

It's not really surprising given what his day has been like. He rushed from surgery to surgery and then his own wife's life gets jeopardized. Honestly Meredith is glad that he's getting some rest now because she's sure that the next few days are going to be straining as well. They need to operate her at least one more time and even then they have no idea how big the damage really is.

"Hey, I could come back right? I mean they can wait for me a few more days," Cristina suddenly offers but her voice is unsure and she can see right through her. "Do you want to come back?"

The silence she is met with is all the answer she needs. "I'm afraid that I won't be able to leave again," she admits quietly. Meredith sighs not sure what to say. It's been a long day and she's just too tired to think of something she could respond.

"You don't have to come, you know," she simply says and her head perks up when she sees Derek and the kids walking towards her. "I have to go. I'll call you if anything happens. Bye."

She hangs up then and grins as she takes Bailey from Derek's arms. "Hey, little man." She hadn't realized how much she missed them today.

"I'm going to go home now. The kids are tired and so am I," on cue Zola who is holding Derek's hand rubs her eyes with her free hand and yawns loudly.

"Okay, wait for me. I just have to change," Meredith tells him as she transfers their son back into his arms but he can hear the hesitation in her voice and sees how her eyes flit over to April.

"Do you want to stay?" he asks his wife.

"I don't need to. Owen and Arizona are staying," she tells him as she closes the file she had been updating before she called Cristina.

"Meredith," he trudges on because he knows that she's just making up excuses. She sighs in response and sometimes she's just really glad that she found someone who can read her so well.

"I know that we haven't always acted like it because April and Jackson came from Mercy West but they're part of our group too. And recently we've been all too occupied with our own lives. I don't know... it just feels like everything's changing. Alex is leaving for a private practice, Cristina is gone and the two of them got married and are having a child. And now April is barely hanging on. We're breaking apart and I don't like that at all."

Derek nods knowing that she has made her decision already. "It's fine. I'm able to handle the kids for the night."

"Thank you so much." She leans over quickly pecking on her lips. "I'm going to look for Alex and make sure that he stays as well." She turns to her kids then, "And you two behave. Momma loves you. I'll see you tomorrow." She kisses Derek once again muttering 'I love you' against his lips.

She then makes her way down the hall and he watches her disappear around the corner. He turns around to the patient's room after that. Jackson is sprawled out in a chair one hand tightly clasped around April's.

He knows this situation all too well; watching a friend fight for his life. He has been though this enough times and sometimes he wonders what they've done to deserve this.

* * *

"_Hey, uh, can you please tell Derek nothing about the miscarriage?" April turns around from where she's standing by her locker and looks at Meredith as she ties her sneakers. If she didn't know it better she would think that she imagined the question but the way Meredith's shoulders tense and how she avoids her gaze reassure her that she actually asked._

"_Sure, I mean it's not my place to tell him anyway," she mumbles and Meredith straightens herself clearly relieved. _

"_Thanks anyway," she tells the brunette as she watches her for a moment Today is the day that the hospital opens again and both of them are in the state to work again… at least physically. Mentally is a completely different thing. And they aren't allowed to operate yet either._

_April turns back to her locker again stuffing something inside of it. Meredith is not sure how she's doing it. After all she just lost two of her best friends and yet she's back to the place where they died already. Sure, they've made some slight renovations but it still feels weird to be here again and she can't even begin to imagine how April must feel._

_April walks over to the adjacent bathroom quickly which gives Meredith the possibility to look into her locker. She's surprised to see a huge bag taking up almost all the space. April comes back then and Meredith clears her throat before she asks. "April, where are you staying at the moment?"_

_The young woman seems to be surprised by the question and honestly Meredith is surprised too. She's not sure why she suddenly cares so much for her; maybe because she knows how hard it is to lose a friend or maybe because she has been with her in one of the worst moments of her life, probably both. She distantly remembers that April used to share an apartment with Reed and she can imagine that she's not living there anymore because it's haunted by memories and the ghost of a girl who died too soon now._

"_I, uh, Jackson lets me stay with him but he's living in a studio apartment so there isn't that much space…" she trails off unsure what to say and what the intentions of the other woman are._

"_You can come and live with us," Meredith is once again surprised by what she's saying but even so she means the offer._

"_What?"_

"_We have enough space," she tries to reason and she sees how April chews on her lips as she thinks about the offer._

"_I really don't want to bother you and besides, Jackson and I need each other right now." Meredith knows instantaneously that she's only making up excuses and she finds herself caring even more for the girl because she still thinks that she's a burden after all they've been through together. "We actually have two empty rooms so Jackson can come too. And you aren't bothering us at all. You're my friend and that's what friends do for each other."_

_April seems even more surprised by those words but she smiles anyway and nods._

* * *

His neck stings as he slowly blinks his eyes waking up. For a wonderful moment he's completely oblivious of the world around him and the situation he's in.

And then he remembers everything. It hits him like a tidal wave soaking him with the devastating reality.

He reaches out to her on instinct, grabbing her hand and holding it in both of his. He presses his lips against her knuckles softly multiple closing his eyes trying to pretend that they're not in hospital right but at home; safe and happy.

But no matter how hard he tries he can't forget that she's in a hospital bed instead and that his neck stings because he's cramped into one of the uncomfortable chairs that they have here.

He moves that chair a bit closer to her bedside one hand of his letting go and resting on the small bump instead. Although he hadn't been sure what to think about the pregnancy or its timing at first he had become really giddy about the thought of being a dad especially since he and April had come to an agreement. They had decided to let their kid decide on its own what to believe and until he or she were old enough to do that they would raise them showing them both.

He's aware that that could be very confusing for their kid but he was sure that together, he and his wife would be able to explain everything and when it came down to it all that really mattered that they loved each other and their baby.

Jackson is painfully reminded of that fact as he watches the heart monitor of his wife and listens to the regular sounds of it. Those are joined by the machine that breathes at her at the moment; that keeps her alive.

He's still in denial about it all and if he could go back he would never let her get into that ambulance again. "You promised it," he whispers against her knuckles his voice broken and raspy.

He squeezes her hand a little bit tighter desperately trying to get a response from her but her hand stays still and her eyes closed.

She has to wake up. She has to come back to him.

She promised it.

* * *

_He looks down at his label again wondering how he can hide it from the others' view. Those things are obligatory. If they weren't he would have gotten rid of it immediately. He's really not interested in people finding out who he is before he even starts working officially._

_He's currently at the mixer that the Mercy West Medical Center throws every year to welcome the new interns. Until now he hasn't met anyone instead leaning against the bar and trying to hide his label._

_He tries to arrange his blazer to hide it once again when someone beside him suddenly speaks up. "If you keep fumbling with it people might realize that you don't want them to know your name."_

_He shifts around and finds a timid brunette sitting on the stool next to him. He hadn't even realized that someone took the place beside him._

_He offers her a smile not knowing what to say because he has been caught by her._

"_You're aware of the fact that we will be wearing a name tag all the time starting tomorrow," she tells him not looking up from her drink that she holds between both of her hands._

"_Yeah," he relents realizing how stupid he's been acting. _

"_I guess that there's a reason why you don't want us to know your name," she leans forward to read his label and he has to chuckle a bit, "Jackson Avery."_

_He shrugs hoping that she won't figure it out and therefore desperately trying to think of an excuse. But the girl beside him is a fast thinker and she has it figured out before he can think of one. "Avery as in Harper Avery?"_

_He decides that lying to her would be to no use and she isn't freaking out yet so he guesses that that's a good sign. "Yep. That would be my grandfather."_

_Her eyes glow for a moment and he expects her to freak out any second now but she simply nods returning her focus to her drink. "Wow, that's impressive. But I get it. You don't want to be compared to him all the time. I know what that's like, I've got three sisters," she tells him with a small smile until she seemingly registers what she just said. "That's not the same of course! I mean I heard a lot of 'your sister did it that way' and stuff but that's obviously completely different from having a living legend as grandfather."_

_Jackson can't help but grin as she rambles on. He detects how a slight blush colors her cheeks and she's obviously embarrassed by what she's telling him._

"_It's okay. I can imagine it being hard to grow up with three sisters," he interrupts her afraid that she won't stop if he doesn't. He offers her another smile which she reciprocates nervously. _

"_Avery isn't seldom," she suddenly states and he frowns at her in confusion. She picks up on that and continues to explain herself. "If anyone asks you can simply say that it's coincidence."_

_He chuckles pretty sure that that won't work he appreciates her thinking. "I could try that."_

"_Well, you don't have to worry about me." Once again he's confused not knowing what she means but before he can ask she's already rambling again, "I won't tell anyone. That you're Harper Avery's grandson, I mean. My lips are sealed."_

_He's laughing again and she's blushing even more although he hopes that she knows that isn't laughing at her. "Thank you…" he suddenly notices that he hasn't found out her name yet and looks at her label for the first time appreciating these things this evening, "…April Kepner."_

_And as she offers him her hand as an official introduction he can't help but wish that she's in his group because he's sure that she would be a great friend._

* * *

Here he is, sitting in a hospital room several years after that, married to that very girl and fearing for her life.

He sure as well didn't expect to end up here when he first met her and yet he's never been happier than in time he has been married to her. And he's not ready to give that up. He won't lose her.

He will do anything to safe her and their baby. He's determined squeezing her hand once again and willing her to get better.

But her hand continues to stay still and her eyes remain closed as it strikes midnight in Seattle.

_There's a reason though why we end those animals' lives before their sickness does it. That way we try to minimize the pain they have to suffer. We want to make it as painless as possible for them. There's actually something comparable in the medicine we practice. Even we reach a place where we can't do anything anymore, where we have to accept fate and let people go. We turn of the machines that are keeping them alive off and with painkillers we try to make it as easy and pleasant for them as possible. We let them go to a 'better place'. _

* * *

**_I hope it wasn't too bad. The first episode would end here. But of course I won't leave you hanging like this and I'll write another chapter that covers the events of the next episode. Please let me know what you thought of this because I'm not sure how to feel about it. Thanks for reading!_**

**_P.S. Nothing that happens in tonight's episode will affect this story as I already knwo how it's going to continue._**


End file.
